There in Times of Need
by MASH mad
Summary: After a night of drinking and O.R. Hawkeye goes missing. Will contain a romance and a character death. Please read and review on content so far. New Chapter!
1. IntroductionChapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any part of MASH even though I think it is fantastic.

There in Times of Need

Introduction – Chapter 1

The three surgeons were asleep in their tent. Martini glasses were balanced all over the place, remnants of the morning after the night before. The previous night had seen countless wounded arriving from all directions. It had been a heavy night and the surgeons had lost one or two men. They were all saddened at this and took it to heart. However, one surgeon, namely Capt. B. F. Pierce, took it to heart more than the others. This seemed to be the case more than the others. This seemed to be the case more and more for the surgeon affectionately known as Hawkeye. Whenever he lost a patient he would follow a similar pattern. Firstly, the O.R. would fall silent for the remainder of the session. Only the clanging of the surgical instruments and the communication between doctor and nurse could be heard. No jokes. Nothing. Following this, Hawkeye would drown his sorrows in the officers club. His tent mate, Capt. BJ Hunnicut, would then drag his drunken friend back to the Swamp and try to talk to him. This process would involve drinking from the still which Hawkeye, and his previous tent mate Trapper John, had rigged up when they got to Korea. After several glasses they would both collapse into their cots and fall into a form of sleep which now overcame them.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Only some spelling mistakes and grammatical errors have been changed. These were not picked up by the word processor. Chapter 3 is being written at the moment in between revision!

**Chapter 2**

Then, here were are, left with three surgeons asleep in their tent, suitably named as the Swamp. The door burst open with the shouts of 'Mail Call'. Klinger walked in carrying the mail for the day. BJ motioned to leave the mail by the still (that is if a space between the glasses could be found).

Hawkeye awoke with a rather large hangover, as was always the case when he'd been out drinking. For a minute as he grasped his bearings he'd forgotten about those boys he lost in the O.R., but as he started to recognise the kaki green surrounding him the memories came flooding back. However, the memories didn't seem as painful as the night before. He knew he had to deal with it; after all, more wounded would be arriving soon. That was always the case. At times, Hawkeye did not feel that he was working in a hospital at all but that he was working on an assembly line.

The door to Swamp swung open. The rather pompous Major Winchester entered.

"So Pierce, you've finally managed to join us!"

"Ah Charles …"

"… No doubt you have a hangover. Well, serves you right"

"Oh Sir Charles, how must I ever expect you to understand from high upon your throne"

Then, as they all had expected sooner or later:

"Attention! All personnel! Incoming wounded, all shifts report to O.R. Sorry folks, breakfast is cancelled"

As that was said, a roar was to be heard over the camp. You see, the food was not the most appetising you've ever eaten. They don't exactly queue for miles to get at the food.

Everyone leapt into action. They were well practised in the art of triage and few things seemed to phase the camp. Only last week had a soldier arrived with a grenade stuck in his leg, but they had dealt with this numerous times before. No-one was surprised. They just did what they had to do to save the young soldier. Hawkeye had performed the operation and subsequently the boy survived.

The session was quite light as it only lasted 8 or 9 hours. Everyone Hawkeye had operated on survived. However, Hawkeye operated on a young Korean child. She couldn't have been more that 8. Hawkeye always reacts badly when young children are brought in wounded, but somehow that night was different. Hawkeye just seemed to be his usual self. Chasing the nurses, and cracking jokes. No-one seemed to notice the difference except for his best friend BJ. He knew Hawkeye would be ok, but he kept an eye on him, just in case.

That night, BJ was awoken by the sound of the bins being knocked over outside the tent but he thought nothing of it until he turned over and saw that Hawkeye's bunk was empty. He got up and went to look outside. Nothing was there, except the bins were now lying on the floor. BJ went back to bed assuming that Hawkeye had just gone to the latrine. He fell asleep quickly.

BJ was woken up by a very worried Colonel Potter. He informed BJ that Hawkeye has not been seen anywhere over camp since last night and that one of the jeeps was missing. A look of terror crossed BJ's face. He remembered awaking the night before. What if that was Hawkeye? Maybe he could have stopped whatever he planned to have done. Klinger came running in clasping a note in his hand.

"Klinger what is it?" snapped Colonel Potter. Klinger knew he didn't mean it, and that he was just worried but it still hurt him.

"I've just spoken to the MP's Sir. They said they saw Hawkeye heading towards battalion aid."

"OK, put in a call to battalion aid."

"I did Sir, there's a problem. They said that Captain Pierce arrived but then he left heading towards the front lines. They said he was going to look for wounded.

"Well why the hell didn't they stop him?" BJ shouted

"They tried to stop him Sir, but he just didn't hear him. They said he seemed to be in a daze."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A shell explodes a few metres from where a tall, dark haired man is standing. Men were shouting in pain all around him. The man's face is tired; his eyes are not registering the war surrounding him. Another explosion knocks him to the ground. Again, the man shows not recognition of the horrific noises around him. This time, however, the man is injured. Blood is spurting out from his chest staining his clothes. The man, seemingly a captain, is struggling for breath. Finally, the tired man can close his eyes and rest.

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"Look General, one of my best surgeons is missing out in the front lines and your telling me you can do nothing!"…… "With all due respects General, that's the worst load of pigeon pellets I've ever heard." Colonel Potter slams the phone down in his office.

"Colonel, are they seriously saying that they won't do anything, even though he's the Chief Surgeon and a Captain in the US Army"

"I know I know. I've got some people I know from my years in the Army. Give me time and we will find him. Now, there's nothing we can do at the moment, go and get some rest. You're no use to Hawkeye in this state."

BJ walks out of Potter's office where Radar is sitting at his desk deep in thought. "There's something I can do. Radar! Are there any free jeeps about?"

"Yes Sir, but…" before Radar could finish BJ Hunnicut storms out of the office.

"Radar"

"I'm here Sir" Radar was already in Colonel Potter's office before he could even finish shouting his name.

"I think we need to call Sidney"

"Major Freedman is on the line Sir"

"Thanks Radar"

"Hello Sidney. We've got a crisis here at the 4077th. We need you here right away."

"OK" said the man's voice down the phone "I'll be right there"

Sidney arrived that afternoon and was filled in with the situation with Hawkeye. Sidney's first request was to speak with BJ. He found him at the motor pool arguing with Rizzo.

"BJ how are you?" came a voice from behind the two arguing men.

"Argh Sidney. I suppose you're here because Colonel Potter thinks I can't handle things about Hawkeye. Well I'm sorry to disappoint you. While you're here, why don't you tell the sergeant that it would be a good idea to let me borrow this jeep!"

"Oh, where are you going?"

"Just for a drive, you know, nowhere in particular." With that, BJ finally manages to free the keys for the jeep from the Sergeant's hand and got into the jeep. "Sidney, I suggest you made 'cause me and this jeep are going places."

"BJ. You're worried, tired and scared. Why don't you come with me for a chat, then afterwards you can go for your drive if you still want to."

"Sorry Sidney, chatting is not going to find Hawkeye, especially as no-one is listening." The engine started and BJ sped off, just missing Sidney.

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On the front lines, medics were running about, getting the wounded and doing what little first aid they could. Hawkeye, was unconscious as he was brought into the battalion aid no-one recognised him. He looked a shadow of the man who they had seen before. Also, the force of the explosion had caused the chain of his dog tags to break and subsequently they had been lost. Around him, other men were being brought in ready to go to the various hospitals.

"Hello, Radar? This in Sergeant Holcomb here…..Yea, we've got many casualties here. You can expect them in about an hour..."

After the phone call, Hawkeye was given basic first aid and was sent to the 4077th in a chopper.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **It's been a while since I've looked at this story and been able to write the next chapter. I had a case of writers block, however I've given it a go but I'm not sure if I live what Ive written. Please let me know what you think, this chapter is still a work in progress. Thanks x**  
**

**Chapter 4**

"Damn, this is gonna be a hard shift without Hawkeye."

Just then Sidney came rushing in "Colonel, we've got problems"

"You're telling me"

"BJ's just sped off in a jeep; I think he's gone to look for Hawkeye"

"Damn, now we're 2 surgeons down. I'll get Radar to alert the MP's there's nothing more we can do at the moment. We've got wounded on the way. Sidney, can you help us in OR"

"I'll do my best Colonel"

"Thanks" Just then choppers could be heard approaching the Helipad "Ok Sidney, lets go"

Charles was already starting triage for the patients which had arrived by ambulance. Colonel Potter went with Sidney and some of the nurses to the helipad to get the wondered. Nothing could prepare them for who was about to greet them.

Laying on one of the stretchers was their very own Hawkeye Pierce.

"Colonel!, Colonel!, come quickly...It's Hawkeye sir!"

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BJ was far away from the camp, heading for the front lines. The only place that he could think his dear friend could be heading to. All he could think about was Hawkeye, nothing else mattered. He knew that Hawkeye would either want to help the wounded or prevent them from getting hurt in the first place. Either way the front lines would be the place for this, especially for a man who was running away. Hifs first port of call would be one of the many Battalion Aid Stations. These were located on the front lines to give immediate care to the soldiers before they could be sent to the MASH units. Many lives were saved here, unfortunately many lives were lost too. For Hawkeye's sake he hoped that Hawkeye hadn't been here, not in his current state anyway. What the doctors and medics saw here was far worse than what was seen at the 4077th. When a patient was seen at the Aid Station it meant they were usually at their worst. It was the doctors and medics job to make sure they were stable enough to make the journey to the various hospital units.

BJ arrived at one of the many Battalion Aid Stations. He was horrified they had obviously just had another batch of wounded through which meant the right about now the 4077th would be inundated with casualties. He couldn't worry about that now though, besides he wouldn't make it back in time to be of much use and his mind really wouldn't be on the job. BJ then got back to the job in hand. "Hey lieutenant, by any chance you haven't had any doctors looking to help have you?"

"No, that'd be the day. No one wants to be at Battalion Aid Sir. Hell, I don't even want to be here but the army sent me so I figured someone's got to be here to help the boys or what chance do they have."

"I know, but this doctor is different. He really cares"

"Hey, they all say that but I don't see 'em volunteering to come here"

"Hey, He really does care. Sometimes too much. His name is Captain Pierce, otherwise known as Hawkeye. He's around 6ft tall with dark hair..."

"…hang on. Pierce...Pierce.. that name rings a bell. Hmm...let me just check the records quickly. Yes we had a Captain Pierce here."

"Here? What was he doing?"

"What do you mean Sir?"

"Well, what was he doing here?"

"Sir, he was a patient"

"A patient?!" At that point hundreds of images and scenarios were running through BJ's head. "Is he..."

"He was still alive Sir when we sent him to the MASH unit"

"Which one? Which MASH?"

The lieutenant looked at his note once again, "We sent him to the 4077th Sir"

That was that, as soon as BJ knew where he was, he was off. If he was fast enough he may even be there in time to be off some use.

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Colonel Potter was in a daze for a moment, if only he could've stopped him. To him they were more than just his colleagues, they were his family. Hell, he'd even say that to him Hawkeye felt like a son. A son that was now injured and fighting for his life. A son that now needed him to put his feelings aside and be professional. How he was going to do that he wasn't sure.

"Margaret"

"Sir"

"Get Charles to work on Hawkeye, he's been hit badly in the chest and it doesn't look good at the moment. Next get your best nurses to assist with the less complex patients; we may need them to perform some operations. We'll be helping them through of course. We're really short handed, BJ has gone AWOL"

With neither of them having time to truly stop and digest what was going on as they had wounded to be seen to, they had no time to show their true feelings. However, the camp was silently in shock. One of their beloved was hurt, and not just anyone. It was Hawkeye. The man who was supposed to be ok. The man who was supposed to keep everyone sane.


End file.
